Wireless communication systems typically include wireless access systems, with equipment such as wireless access nodes, which provide wireless access to communication services for wireless communication devices over wireless links. A typical wireless communication system includes systems to provide wireless access across a geographic region, with wireless coverage areas associated with individual wireless access nodes. The wireless access systems exchange user communications between wireless communication devices and service providers for the communication services. Communication services typically include voice calls, data exchange, web pages, streaming media, or text messages, among other communication services.
In many wireless communication systems, such as cellular communication systems, many wireless communication devices may simultaneously be receiving wireless access from a particular wireless access node. The wireless access may be provided over more than one wireless frequency spectrum or wireless frequency band. However, if too many wireless communication devices receive wireless access over a particular wireless frequency spectrum, then overloading, slowdowns, and dropped communication sessions can result.
Overview
Systems, methods, and software for wireless frequency changes for wireless communication devices based on tracking area updates in wireless communication systems are provided herein. In one example, a method of operating a communication system is provided. The method includes providing wireless access to communication services for wireless communication devices over a first frequency spectrum at a wireless access node, and receiving tracking area updates transferred by ones of the wireless communication devices. The method also includes processing at least a quantity of the tracking area updates received at the wireless access node to determine idle timers for the wireless communication devices, where an expiration of an associated idle timer indicates that an associated wireless communication device can no longer receive the wireless access over the first frequency spectrum and can receive further wireless access over a second frequency spectrum.
In another example, a communication system is provided. The communication system includes a wireless access node configured to provide wireless access to communication services for wireless communication devices over a first frequency spectrum, and receive tracking area updates transferred by ones of the wireless communication devices. The communication system also includes a processing node configured to process at least a quantity of the tracking area updates received at the wireless access node to determine idle timers for the wireless communication devices, where an expiration of an associated idle timer indicates that an associated wireless communication device can no longer receive the wireless access over the first frequency spectrum and can receive further wireless access over a second frequency spectrum.